In the Le Constellation bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana in the canton of Valais, a fire of unknown origin followed by an explosion broke out during the New Year's Eve celebration around 01:30.[1][2] Police report around 40 dead, including foreigners, and around 100 to 115 injured, mostly seriously.[1][2][5] Hospitals in the canton of Valais were filled to capacity, so the authorities declared a state of emergency and transported the injured to other Swiss hospitals.[1][5] A total conflagration occurred when all combustibles in the confined space ignited violently.[2][5] According to witnesses, the fire may have been caused by pyrotechnics, sparklers attached to champagne bottles or a candle on a bottle, which ignited the ceiling.[2][3][5] The panicked crowd ran down the narrow staircase from the basement of the bar with a capacity of 300 people.[1][4] The police ruled out an attack and started an investigation into the causes.[1][2]